Houdini (1953)

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Harold Kellock (book)
Philip Yordan (writer)

Release Date:

2 July 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Halloween | Strait Jacket | Ice Bath | Escape Artist | Escape

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Harry Houdini
Janet Leigh	...	Bess Houdini
Torin Thatcher	...	Otto (Von Schwager's assistant)
Angela Clarke	...	Mrs. Weiss
Stefan Schnabel	...	German Prosecuting Attorney
Ian Wolfe	...	Malue
Sig Ruman	...	Schultz
Michael Pate	...	Dooley (London examiner)
Connie Gilchrist	...	Mrs. Shultz
Malcolm Lee Beggs	...	British jail warden
Frank Orth	...	Mr. Hunter (safe expert)
Barry Bernard	...	Insp. Marlick
Douglas Spencer	...	Simms (New York observer)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #16247) | Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Harry Houdini's real name was Weiss, and he is played here by Tony Curtis, whose real name is Schwartz.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the Houdinis and the reporter are being driven to the séance, the same rear projection loop is continually run in the car's back window, repeatedly showing the same background traffic, with the splice where the loop begins plainly visible each time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: (#3.26)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

PERPETUUM MOBILE

Tony Curtis as the great performer, in a fine film for everyone...

..since he is and has been an amateur magician, Curtis was perfect to portray Houdini, the master magician and above all.. the master escape artist! A beautiful technicolor film that has the atmosphere of vaudeville and showbiz of the day, it invokes the mystery of the great showman's lifestyle and his unusual death on Halloween. Janet Leigh,as Houdini's wife, Bess, adds to the fun... and for those that love magic and magicians, this will satisfy you. The early life, the escapes from ropes, chains and jail cells the world-over, from the icy waters of rivers and lakes, it is all here. Slicked up naturally not so much to educate us, but to entertain.. ...!